The Open already felt … uncertain, since one of my favorites couldn’t defend his championship.

An American attending an American tournament, when much had been made of the steadily vanishing number of Americans in the Men’s Singles Draw, I wondered if the tournament’s “big story” would be a victory for American players in Women’s Singles (Serena), Men’s Doubles (the Bryans, gunning for their 100th title), and Mixed Doubles (this is when Taylor (Townsend) and Donald (Young) had reached the quarters, but not yet lost in them) … even in the face of the American men seemingly unable to manage it.

Then Taylor and Donald lost.

And I reverted to having no clue what the “story” might be.

I heard Darth Vader’s Theme adapted to “Darth Federer’s Theme” at the US Open in 2007, its presence underscoring Roger’s relentless march through the draw like it did the original Vader’s stalking and sweeping through The Empire Strikes Back.

I wanted to call up the US Open DJ from outside of New York City where I was, and cry “Too soon! Too soon!” as many times as it took for him to shut it off.

We all know how that turned out.

But we didn’t know it when Roger took the court, guided – many would argue, to much-improved results over recent months – by his once-idol, to square off against another man with a score to settle with his sport who was also guided by his once idol … another variation on the “new story”, the theme of the once-kings positioning their new champions, near-champions, or renewed champions like chess pieces, the tight struggle for first-time crowns, or repeat crowns, or to create them kings above all (yes, Roger – please come back. We know you will play as long as we watch, and we will watch as long as you play. One more. Encore. Just one more).

I listened to a clip of Bud Collins commenting on the variety of Johnny Mac’s game, and another clip of Steve Tignor talking about how that one-handed backhand in combination with a frequent net approach in the modern game brought the upside to a player of so much more variety in his or her game at the same time that it brought the downside of much more risk.

The ladies played on Ashe on their historic Championship Sunday. And I got to see them. In that same clip, Mr. Collins talked about Mr. Ashe’s enormous influence on tennis for the good, extending down to what he felt was an inspirational influence for the Williams sisters, both of whom serve now in an inspirational role for a new generation of athletes, and one of whom was looking to put another layer of historic lustre on that influence – if she could get past the Women’s Winner of the US Open 2014 Sportsmanship Award, who was looking for her historic first Slam title.

That – that I couldn’t know, in any match, whose strategy would prevail, whose backhand would prove more devastating, whose legs would last – was, through every match, what kept me pasted in front of any screen I could see it on for the duration of the time I couldn’t be there in person like I annually scrambled to set aside the time to do.

As we take a breath between the great Grand Slams, and warm up for the Davis Cup – we know what the stories are, already, for each of the personalities we follow.

One week before the start of the US Open, I did attend the Optima Open, the Belgian stop of the ATP Champions Tour. Goran Ivanisevic was taking part to the tournament, and after his match against Pat Cash, he talked a bit about his protege Marin Cilic, said Cilic was playing really well and that he had high expectations for the US Open. I thought, well we gonna have a Djokovic-Federer final, and Cilic could maybe reach the last eight.

As for Nishikori, I’ve watched him playing twice at Bercy last year (against Benneteau and Tsonga), and at practice with Michael Chang at Roland Garros this year.
Nishikori is a player I enjoy watching: quick feet, good hands but he clearly lacks power and is sometimes too naive in his shots’ selection.

Cilic and Nishikori met in the final on Monday and the match was even more one-sided than the Williams-Wozniacki final the day before. Nishikori was paralyzed with nerves, whereas Cilic was ready to jump on the opportunity to capture a Slam, and became the unlikeliest winner of a men’s Grand Slam title in a decade, as New York Times wrote.

What did you think of the final? Do you think Cilic will be a one Slam wonder or this major win will be first of many? What about Nishikori, will he bounced back? Please share your thoughts.